CLERMONT, Fla. – A last-ditch effort came up just short as the Grinnell College softball team lost a narrow 4-3 decision to Concordia University of Wisconsin Thursday morning at Hancock Park.
 
Concordia scratched out solo runs in the second and third innings and two more in the fifth for a 4-0 lead. But Grinnell jumped back into contention in the top of the seventh when Sidney Litke '19 singled through the right side with one out and moved to second on an error by the right fielder.
 
Emily Jordan '19 pushed Litke to third with a groundout before pinch hitter Megan Gardner '21 walked. Darice Wheeler, Grinnell's career home run leader, then stepped to the plate and bashed a three-run homer over the right-field fence to make it 4-3. However, that's as close as Grinnell could get.
 
The Pioneers had a strong pitching outing from Elle Adams '21, who gave up just three earned runs and fanned two. The Pioneers had six hits on the day, including two by Litke.
 
Grinnell was only outhit 7-4 in its next game, but lost a 10-1, five-inning decision to Marian University. Grinnell's run came when Wheeler led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a line-drive homer to left.
 
Of Grinnell's four hits, Maddie Matsubara '22 came up with two of them. Wheeler struck out eight while tossing a complete game for Grinnell.
 
Wheeler's home runs boosted her program-leading career total to 21. She also is seventh for career RBIs with 70. Flynn Johnson '19 and Jordan each have 305 career putouts, ninth-best at Grinnell.
 
The Pioneers, who have played the fifth-toughest schedule this season of all NCAA Division III teams, are now 0-10. They complete their spring break trip to Florida Friday with contests against Rowan University and Rutgers-Newark.